‘Shah Rukh’ means ‘face of the king’ in Persian. And he is not considered any less where he belongs. But kings desire more too. So in an attempt to reach out to fans in the southern part of India – SRK is now basing his first role across
the Deccan. He speaks with Bollywood Editor Aarti Kapur Singh about cinema and life. Aarti Kapur Singh: Shah Rukh Khan – it could be a sentence too. Did you actually feel the need to ‘connect’ with fans in the south?
Shah Rukh Khan: Thank you, Aarti, You are good at using superlatives! Films for me are purely a matter of choice and taste. I pick roles that suit my thinking, personality, and obviously comfort and schedule. I don’t think I have limited myself to a genre. I have done negative roles, action comedy – in the early phase of my career. For me, this is the time when I can choose different roles. With experience and time, actors often go for roles that describe their inner self. I do films which I like at a given point of time and as and when I get the opportunity. So when Rohit narrated a couple of films to me two years back, one was the remake of Angoor and other was Chennai Express. I like both of them. But Rohit felt he would like to do the latter one first as it is a bigger film and has fantastic comedy,
action and amazing songs. It’s awkward for me to speak of film that I produce, but I just have to say that Rohit has done me great favour while making a film like this for me. It’s fun and I am enjoying it. Yes, I end up doing very intense films like Jab Tak Hai Jaan , Chak De! India and My Name Is Khan, and so, it (Chennai Express) is a nice change for me. Also, it is my personal tribute to the aura of namma Rajnikanth. And really, I do not know who my audience is and I haven’t been able to figure out how or where my films work.
AKS: So what kind of roles do you choose?
SRK: I opt for roles where I think I can fit in. I can work for formula films which get good appeal and appeal to the masses. But personally I prefer myself in decent, cultured and high class roles. I remember, Madhuri Dixit asked me to do Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam. The film did go on to do very good business in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. And I don’t know if I sound stupid when I say that I don’t know ‘the formula’. If I had known – I would have adopted it in films that did not do well.
AKS: How then do you choose projects for Red Chillies, your production house?
SRK: See I am an actor first and producer later. And actually even till date I choose projects as an actor. Somehow that inner actor never allows me to think shrewdly like a producer. I’m in cinema for the passion, not the business.
I relate to a project, I take it up. Then, budget becomes secondary.
AKS: But don’t you think you have limited yourself as an actor by choosing to work with only a few directors?
SRK: The industry has been kind to me for 22 years – the people here have become my family.So the familial bonding has happened. I work with people I am comfortable with. Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Farah Khan and I have great chemistry.
AKS: So don’t you wish to work with directors such as Anurag Kashyap or Tigmanshu Dhulia
SRK: Oh of course I do! We have been friends since our Delhi days. Kashyap has been asking me to work in his films. Hopefully that will happen soon. And I have already worked with Tishu (Tigmanshu) in Dil Se. You may also have heard that I was working with Vishal Bharadwaj in Two States. But he was looking for a younger actor for the role. So I had to leave.
AKS: How is Chennai Express a different film for you?
SRK: Chennai Express is a unique film and despite a touch of south India, especially in the dialogues, it is easy for anyone to understand the dialogues. Some lines are in Tamil but I am sure audiences will crack up laughing while watching the film. All credit goes to Rohit Shetty and the team. I think Chennai Express conveys the message that language is immaterial in choosing and making relationships. It is not language, but bonding, love and affection that make a relation.
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